The Evolution of the Alphabet

• The Egyptian pharaohs realized they had a problem with their slaves becoming enslaved more often as a result of their conquests.
• They came up with a system of writing that was easier to learn and use and which would be used by the slaves when they migrated back to their home countries.
• The alphabet was extremely successful and was eventually used by many other languages across the Near East.
• The Phoenicians, an ancient civilization of seaborne traders, spread the alphabet to the tribes they encountered along the Mediterranean coast.
• The Greek and Roman alphabets, in turn, were based on the ancient Phoenician script.
• Today most Western languages, including English, use the Roman alphabet.

Test your knowledge on the development and spread of the alphabet from its roots in ancient Egypt to its widespread use in Western languages today.